UNDP Recruits Humanitarian Affairs Officer/Ecowas Liaison Officer

UNDP helps developing countries attract and use aid effectively. In all our activities, we encourage the protection of human rights, capacity development and the empowerment of women.

We are recruiting to fill the below position:

Job Title: Humanitarian Affairs Officer/Ecowas Liaison Officer
Location: Abuja, NIGERIA
Type of Contract: FTA Local
Post Level: NO-B
Duration of Initial Contract: Initial duration of one year

Background
The Liaison function will contribute to strengthening the partnership and engagement with the ECOWAS in order to coordinate principled humanitarian response and effectively engage Member States on disaster preparedness and response and other humanitarian issues with regional implications The Humanitarian Affairs Officer / ECOWAS Liaison Officer will work within the Department of Humanitarian and Social Affairs of ECOWAS in coordination with the Humanitarian Advisory Team (HAT) in Nigeria

The Humanitarian Affairs Officer / ECOWAS Liaison Officer will report to the OCHA Head of Humanitarian Advisory Team (HAT) in consultation with OCHA ROWCA.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Engage dialogue with ECOWAS in her/his role of strengthening preparedness and response and provide support on policy and operational aspects relating to acute poverty, complex emergencies and impact on disasters.
• Participate and support ECOWAS’ initiatives including the measuring of the impact of natural disasters such as floods in West Africa, strengthening regional early warning mechanisms, drafting a model institution framework for disaster management at country level as well as any other initiatives related to humanitarian preparedness and response.
• Assist in the elaboration of ECOWAS MoUs with regional agencies and institutions on DRR/Preparedness and provide support to the operationalization of the ECOWAS Emergency Response Team.
• Assist in the development of short and medium-term strategy, policy, planning and priorities, especially in implementing ECOWAS humanitarian policy and its 5-year humanitarian action plan.
• Maintain day to day and technical liaison with the humanitarian department of ECOWAS as well as other key entities within the organization such as ECOWARN and to provide timely and relevant information to the Head of HAT Nigeria and ROWCA on all urgent and important humanitarian issues with regional implications.
• Keep abreast of all key developments through regular monitoring and analysis of developments in the member states of ECOWAS and their impact on the humanitarian situation, regional early warning mechanism, development of regional and preparedness in a consistent and well-coordinated manner.
• Provide regular feedback to ROWCA and use public information and advocacy tools (reports; updates, special bulletins; websites) to keep ECOWAS humanitarian department, the RC and the ROWCA Head of Office, abreast of humanitarian developments and support coordinating plans and resource mobilization efforts for humanitarian activities

Competencies
Functional Competencies:

1.) Advocacy/Advancing A Policy-Oriented Agenda
Preparing information for advocacy

• Identifies and communicates relevant information for a variety of audiences for advocating for the advancement of ECOWAS’ humanitarian policy

2.) Results-Based Programme Development and Management
Contributes into results through primary research and analysis

• Assesses project performance to identify success factors and incorporates best practices into project work
• Researches linkages across programme activities to identify critical points of integration
• Monitors specific stages of projects/programme implementation
• Analyzes country situation to identify opportunities for project development
• Participates in the formulation of project proposals and ensures substantive rigor in the design and application of proven successful approaches and drafts proposals accordingly

3.) Building Strategic Partnerships
Maintaining a network of contacts

• Maintains an established network of contacts for general information sharing and to remain up-to-date on partnership related issues
• Analyzes and selects materials for strengthening strategic alliances with partners and stakeholders
• Innovation and Marketing New Approaches
• Enhancing processes or products
• Generates new ideas and proposes new, more effective ways of doing things
• Documents and analyses innovative strategies/best practices/new approaches

4.) Resource Mobilization
Providing inputs to resource mobilization strategies

• Analyzes information/databases on potential and actual donors
• Identifies opportunities for project proposals for presentation to donors

5.) Promoting Organizational Learning and Knowledge Sharing
Basic research and analysis

• Generates new ideas and approaches, researches best practices and proposes new, more effective ways of doing things
• Documents and analyses innovative strategies and new approaches

6.) Job Knowledge/Technical Expertise
Fundamental knowledge of own discipline

• Understands and applies fundamental concepts and principles of a professional discipline or technical specialty relating to the position
• Possesses basic knowledge of organizational policies and procedures relating to the position and applies them consistently in work tasks
• Strives to keep job knowledge up-to-date through self-directed study and other means of learning
• Demonstrates good knowledge of information technology and applies it in work assignments
• Demonstrates in-depth understanding and knowledge of the current guidelines and project management tools and utilizes these regularly in work assignments

7.) Client Orientation
Establishing effective client relationships

• Researches potential solutions to internal and external client needs and reports back in a timely, succinct and appropriate fashion
• Organizes and prioritizes work schedule to meet client needs and deadlines
• Anticipates client needs and addresses them promptly

Core Competencies:

• Demonstrating/safeguarding ethics and integrity
• Demonstrate corporate knowledge and sound judgment
• Self-development, initiative-taking
• Acting as a team player and facilitating team work
• Facilitating and encouraging open communication in the team, communicating effectively
• Creating synergies through self-control
• Managing conflict
• Learning and sharing knowledge and encourage the learning of others. Promoting learning and knowledge management/sharing is the responsibility of each staff member.
• Informed and transparent decision making

Required Skills and Experience

• University degree in political science, sociology, law, international relations, or related field
• Four to Six years of relevant professional experience in the field of international humanitarian affairs or disaster management
• Experience working with the UN and ECOWAS an advantage
• Fluency in English (written and oral). Knowledge of French desirable.

Additional Requirements:

• Proven inter-personal and good communication skills
• Experience in a multi-cultural environment
• Computer literacy

Application Closing Date
3rd April, 2013

Method of Application
Interested and qualified candidates should:
Click Here To Apply Online